The quadratic $3x^2+4x-9$ has two real roots. What is the sum of the squares of these roots? Express your answer as a common fraction in lowest terms.
Answer: Let $x_1$ and $x_2$ be the roots of the equation $3x^2+4x-9$. We want to find $x_1^2+x_2^2$. Note that $x_1^2+x_2^2=(x_1+x_2)^2-2x_1x_2$. We know that $x_1+x_2$, the sum of the roots, is equal to $\frac{-b}{a}$, which for this equation is $\frac{-4}{3}$. Likewise, we know that $x_1x_2$, the product of the roots, is equal to $\frac{c}{a}$, which for this equation is $\frac{-9}{3}$. Thus, $x_1^2+x_2^2=\left(\frac{-4}{3}\right)^2-2\left(\frac{-9}{3}\right)=\frac{16}{9}+\frac{18}{3}=\boxed{\frac{70}{9}}$.